Having a strong culture of innovation within your organisation can spark new projects, improve efficiency and give you an advantage over competitors. Innovation has become a way of survival – it’s now vital to keep up with digital trends to ensure business thrives as our working environment evolves. So how exactly can you cultivate a culture of innovation for your business?
1. Identify an innovation leader
To really enforce a culture of innovation, it’s essential to find a leader that takes ownership of disruptive innovation programs. The innovation leader can implement a strategy to drive initiatives that weave innovation throughout the entire organisation. Key responsibilities of the innovation leader include:
- Taking a holistic approach to the business and thinking creatively, to drive new ideas.
- Creating a dynamic environment, where innovation is intertwined throughout the whole business.
- Giving employees the confidence to express creative ideas and thinking.
- Encouraging employees to take risks.
A successful system expedites the way businesses manage their innovation strategies, so that the right processes are in place and a service or product launch won’t fall at the first hurdle.
Tenshi can advise on and develop the structure of your innovation management system, in a way that facilities all the processes needed to comply with ISO 56000. Find out more about our innovation management services here.
2. Communication is key
While the next invention can stem from a singular thought, innovation feeds off collaboration, discussing ideas with a team and opening your eyes up to the world around you.
Very few innovations come to fruition without two-way communication and taking feedback on board to create the best version of a product. Your idea might be strong but there’s always a peer who can add value with their alternative perspective.
We don’t all communicate in the same way. Some of us prefer a face-to-face conversation, while others are happy to use an online chat to fire off ideas as and when. Leaders should be adaptable to different modes of communication and allow individuals to choose what works best for them, so they are comfortable enough to open up and express ideas in a safe environment. This is when true innovation can really take off.
3. Take risks and fly
As humans, we don’t grow unless we push ourselves out of our comfort zones and take risks; the same is true for business. Taking a gamble and failing is unprofitable to begin with and puts a big strain on resources. However, once you succeed the ROI is huge – you’ll soon be thankful for those past failures.
Take the shoe brand TOMs, their simple concept of ‘sell a pair of shoes today, give a pair of shoes tomorrow’ meant that for every pair of shoes purchased, the brand would give a pair to a shoeless child, living in a developing country. This was met with scepticism – how could a one-man business make this profitable? Several years later, the company has grown and given away thousands of shoes to those in need. Plus, customers feel empowered knowing they’ve helped a child across the globe. Without putting everything on the line, the business would not exist today.
What we do
We are experts in innovation management and work with clients to intertwine innovation throughout their business. We can teach you how to be open and communicate, so staff are confident to take risks and generate innovative new product ideas.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch for a chat if you’d like our assistance in cultivating your culture of innovation.